Sundancer, the texture is a headtrip, to be sure. It's chewy, then soft and mushy (the lining of the stomach I guess). I could not get over the texture, the flavor didn't offend me. Reminded me of sushi, it's the texture that gets me every time.

Cottage cheese? I won't touch that, nope, never, no way! Rick the New Mexico version of menudo ( and posole) differ a tiny bit from the Mexican versions, but it's worth a shot.

AHA! It's posole I remember from childhood; and I remember liking it. Maybe it was a kinder, gentler tripe than Sundancer saw (& I have seen) at the grocer's?

After years of loathing it, I have come to enjoy cottage cheese. (Maybe I'm a kinder, gentler me? Nah.)We couldn't detect it in the burgers; some dim bulb made the school post their contents on the cafeteria menu.

One of my favorite fake food combinations was Franco-American Spaghetti <not Spaghetti-O's..Not EVER!> eaten with boiled Tobin's First Prize Hot Dogs. I didn't mix these together, but eat the hot dogs on buttered soft Wonder bread with the Franco spaghetti as a side. God being a kid was wonderful. If I was to eat that today, my wife who's an ICU nurse would have me carted off to the hospital for a quadruple bypass!!!

Using this definition of fake foods, my favorites would include some (by far not all) brands of instant mashed potatoes and of the rice or noodles mixes. More interesting to me, though, are the school cafeteria foods, which back in my day were not fake foods by any means but were fully from-scratch concoctions. Grade and high school favorites were sloppy joes, a non-spicy version of chili-mac, and great northern beans (which we doused with catsup) with cornbread. Two college cafeterias at which I ate had surprisingly delicious foods of all sorts, remembering particularly some of the salads, soups, and desserts. They served several versions of potato soup and a raw apple cake which I'd put up against those of the best restaurants anywhere. I've seen other but have never seen this particular version of apple cake (dark, moist, just a little spicy, with small chunks of raw apple, and guess what was a thick vanilla flavored white sauce drizzled over it) served anywhere else. Likewise, have never elsewhere seen one of the several versions (and all were good) of potato soup they served. In this particular soup the potatoes were pureed to a pulp and resided, not incorporated into, but were just in (kinda settled to bottom of bowl) a delicious clear but brown colored richly beef flavored broth. The beef broth flavor prevailed over that of the potato; guess it was like a thickened beef broth. So good! The other potato soups, tho delicious, were, like all their other great soups, more traditional. Would surely appreciate recipes for this apple cake or potato soup should this attempt at description ring a bell with anyone who has either recipe, or anything similar. Thanks. Liketoeat

Don't knock the Wonder bread! It is the ONLY bread to have your PBJs on!!

I am not a fan of "fake food" and try to resist at almost all costs. However, Stauffer's creamed chipped beef is not bad and fits when I am having a craving. I once also got a great recipe for stuffed mushroom caps from the back of Stauffer's spinach souffle. Chips Deluxe cookies are a necessity at times. When I was a kid my mom used to buy these little frozen pizzas (about the size of your palm)--I think the brand was Gino's or Geno's. I did love those things. And yeah...any type of pasta that came in the can I loved when I was a kid. But now...I can't imagine how I did it!!

But TV dinners/salsibury steak "products" really gross me out!! And mac and cheese out of a box is sinful!!!!

Glenn- I'm with ya man. THe yeast rolls in my elementary school in rural North Louisiana were as good or better than any rolls I have ever had.

All of the rolls, breads and desserts at my early 70's high school were made from scratch, and they were outstanding. Shortly after I graduated a story was published in the local paper giving some recipes that were used in the schools. I treasure their recipes for butterscotch bars and cornmeal cookies! (Once I ate most of a batch of the cornmeal cookie recipe before it made it to the oven.)

Stoeffer's makes a mean frozen mac 'n cheese. Creamy, with macaroni that is cooked just right. Best of all, I am not tempted to eat enough for four people because the serving is only enough for two. (Don't ask if I can manage to eat only half of the package!)

Meowzart - The creamed chipped beef is what I always put in the freezer for when the hubby and kids go down to the country. (Like this weekend! Yay!) I fix it over toast. That, and maybe some bloody mary mix and I wont' have to leave the house all weekend. I might not even get dressed...hmmmm.

Have to add Howard Johnson's frozen macaroni and cheese -- good stuff! I doctor it up with butter and extra cheese, and drink a big glass of milk with it -- this is one girl who won't have osteoporosis when she's an old lady!

And Spaghettios, the kind with franks -- I doctor that up too with good pasta sauce and plenty of parmesan on top -- comfort food when it's been a bad day.

RickF: Just goes to prove that the processors of porcine leave nothing except the "oink". I guess everything is usuable and that is a good thing as it is not good to waste. This sorta goes along with why chitterlings and tripe is used.

I am just glad that from my personal choices will not include such delectable items.

Originally posted by TexicanaSpeaking of swine, I miss the crunchy chicharrones fresh from the cauldron, the kind u have to use a knife to strip some of the fat layer off of. Not like the pork rinds u find in the stores.

In LA they're called "cracklin's" & can be found at the classier truck stops and some grocery stores & meat markets. If you ever head East let me know and I'll guide you--I'm something of a cracklin' connoisseur!